Modified axminster loom and method



March 7, 1961 s, R, MAYS ET AL l 2,973,784

MODIFIED AXMINSTER LOOM AND METHOD Filed JIJ-.1y 14, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 SAMUEL R. MAYS MAURICE W. WORTH ATTY.

March 7, 1961 s. R. MAYs l-:TAL

MODIFIED AXMINSTER LOOM AND METHOD '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1959 INVENTORSZ SAMUEL R. MAYS MAURICE W. WORTH S. R. MAYS ET AL MODIFIED AXMINSTER LOOM AND METHOD lMarch 7, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1959 mvrons SAMUEL. R. MAYS AUR|CE W. WORTH '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1959 5SH v MT n T R A Mo maw `maw. um MM/ m Y 8. rr

w. IJ .L E /O/ DE ...Q EE1`E March 7, 196,3 s. R. MAYS ET AL 2,973,784

MODIFIED AXMINSTER LOOM AND METHOD '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 14, 1959 INVENTORSZ SAMUEL RZVMAYS MAURICE W. WORTH MyW@ ATTY.

March 7, 1961 s. R. MAYs ET AL 2,973,784

MODIFIED AXMINSTER LOOM AND METHOD Filed July 14, 1959 'T Sheebs-Sheel'I 6 55 MAUR|CE w WORTH ATT Y.

for the yarnbanof Fig.- 4, 1 i i 'Eig-Sis a schematic illustrationshowing the separa- United States 2,913,784 A MODIFIED YAxivnNsrER LooM AND METnoD" Samuel R. Mays, Buena Vista, and Maurice W. Worth,

Glasgow, Va., assignors to James Lees and Sons Zompany, Bridgeport, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jury 14, 1959, ser. 10.826,981 11 claims. (ci. 1s9 39) described a modified Axrninster loom for weaving uncut or loop pile fabric. In this arrangemenn: however, only a single pile w-ireis used and all of the loops 1n each weftwise row .are of the same height. The present invenf tion incorporate-s a modification of this general type v,of loom in whicha pattern in..which certain of the yarnsfare4 displaced toform;a secondary shed composedfonlyjf warp pile yarns. Each wire-is inserted into this Asecondaryfshed sol that some of lthe pile warp yarns weave, under the wire and other; pile `yarns weave over the same wire. u .underthe .wire form ground pile -in selected areas...` 1n order tol break vup the appear-ance Aof the fabric thereby avoidingstreaks, the pattern bar reverses 180? so that the lsame groupof -yarns iscarried alternately over and under successively inserted pile wires.

A primary object of the invention, provide an attachment for an Axminster loom wh1ch selects certain pile yarns'over a particularvwire andA other pile yarnsunder theV same wire. l

'-A further `object of thev invention Vis to provide a ,secondary warp-pile @shed into which pilewires are inserted. n

s l .A furthenobject. of .the. inver 1tionisft o provide a Apattern bar .for an Axmi'nsterloom havingstepped yarn :contact faces, meansl Vfor reciprocating said patternbar 'towards and away from the -pile yarns, and means-` for rotating'A said pattern bar 'to present the different pattern face to thefyarns. i

A further' object of the invention is to provide a method `for weaving a twoshot; Axn-1insternfabric in which some of thepile'iyar'ns' formghighloopsand other pile yarns formiground pile in the same transverse row.

Further objcctsfwill be apparent fromthe specification 4and drawings-inwhich:` Y Y Fig. l-'isha top view'k of-:fan Axminstentype loom incorporated-the present invention, ,j Yy y. I

Fig. 2 is'an end 'view of -the vstructure seen in Fig. l, Fig. 3 is a sectional view as seen'generally at33 of A-Fi'gl and showing'infaddition some-of -the yar'nrfeed Fig. 5 'is a .fragmentary detail of :a portion offthe structure or Fig 2,

e46 offri-g3', u I .Fig. l7 "is a sectional detail of the actuating mechanism l" Fig; 6' is Vafra'gmentary sectional detailfass`eenrjat ltionjof the-pile yarns into the secondary wireshed,A

Patented Mar. 7, `19611 '2 Fig. 9 isa front view of a portion of the loom showing the wire and needle motions,

y Fig. 10 is an end view of the structure of Fig. 9, Fig. 1l is a fragmentary detail showing the operation of the wire mask,

' Fig. 12 is a perspective of a portion of the structure of Figui,

bar is'r'eciprocated to al position Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing the front view ofv the structure of Fig. 1l together with `a portion of the wire motion, Figs. 14-17 are schematic showings indicating the progressive steps in the weaving and operation of the present invention,

Figs. 18-21 are enlarged schematic details taken at the fell of the fabric as seen in views 14-17 respectively,

Fig. 22 is a schematic top view of a loop pile fabric woven in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 23 is a warpwise section of the fabric of Fig. 22,

and Fig. 24` is a diagrammatic showing of the pile yarns only of Fig. 22. I l l The invention comprises lessentially the provision in an Axminstertype loonrof a plurality `ofpile wires comprisingT preferably a set offour as shown in the accompanying drawings. These wires are successively inserted and withdrawn into. various sheds of the pile warp lyarns on every other insertion of the weft carrying needle. An

Y automatically actuated mask prevents withdrawal and indicatesthatthere are two doublewefts for eachy wire therefore, is to i' insertionorgtransverse row` of pile. AIt will be understood thatthe invention canalsobe applied to a fabric woven with stuer warps and more than two shots.

Referring `now more particularly to the drawings', ay

modified AXminster loom of the type useful in the present invention is provided with a frame 25 on which the uSuaLbreast plate 26 is mounted. The oscillating reed 27 is carried in the lay 28 and beats up the pile wires 29 and the double weft shots 30 as is customary v in weaving practice. .As described generally in the-Eisler and M oxley patent, 'the pile yarns AY are supplied from ayarn source, notshown, preferably a beam but alternativelya creel, through a tube frameS. The ltube frame 35 reciprocates from a raised position shown in Figs.' 2 and 3 to the wipe-in position shown schematically in Fig. -l7.. In this lowered position the alternate (between wire) Vweft shots30c are inserted. Y'

1The pile yarns ,Yf are fed to the tube frame 35 by means of. feed rollers 36 and 37 (Fig. 3), journaledin `A anadjustable bracket 38, which in turn is mounted on y'elements 'located above the Jportion of the loom-seen in va yframe 39. Afterpassin'g around the rubber feed roller 37 and the grooved feed roller36 the yarns pass over a tension -bar 40 which is mounted at each side of the loom in a spring loaded arm 41 journaled to the loom frame S9-at `42. Tension is `applied to the yarn through bar 4,0, by 'means of an extension spring 43 anchored to the frame structure. After passingaround tension bar 40 the yarn also passes around 'a pair of yarn guide rollers or bars 44 and 45 on the tube frame V35 and thence f throughthe individual -tu'ft'tubes 46, 46. The use of the spring-loaded tension bar 40` provides a reservoir from vwhich y'arri 'is'.drawn to' permit not 'only 'oscillation of Y tube frame 35 but also the minor and compensating variation inl` yarn feed'eatised` by selecting some of the 'yarns to pass over the'last inserted wires 29 and other yarns to pass under-the' same wire. Tube frame 35 is journaled at each end of the rigid clutch arms or carriers 48 journaled to the tube frame at 49.; Tilting of theA tube frame is laccomplis,lied ,through ,a separately anchored link 50 journaled to the tube frame at 51. This composite action of the tube frame is important to prevent interference with the reed 27 and other elements of the loom.

Pattern bar As indicated above, the pile yarns are wiped into the Shed formed by chain warps 53 and 54 in order to tie in the pile yarns under every alternate double weft 30. Chain warps 53 and 54 reverse under control of heddles 55 and 56 after the insertion of each double weft shot 30. Whenever a pile wire 29 is inserted, a secondary shed formed by the displacement of yarns Y, as at Y1 and Y2 as shown in Fig. 3 is formed withthe tube frame 35 in its elevated position by means of a specially designed shed forming element 60. The detailsof the pattern bar or shed forming element 60 may be seen more clearly by referring to Fig. 4. A shaft 61 is provided with square shoulders or collars 62 and 63 near each end thereof. These collars are positioned to slide non-rotatably in ways 64 and 65 respectively. The shaft 61, however, is extended beyond shoulders 62y and 63 so that the shaft has a combined sliding and rotational movement in the elongated slots 66 and 67 in their respective brackets 65a and 64a. One end of shaft 61 is also provided with a pinion 70 in order to control the turningmovernent of the shaft. Along the central portion of shaft 61 we provide a plurality of steps which selectively contact and displace certain of the pile yarns Y to form the secondary shed. One side of shaft 61 has a plurality of spaced abutments 71, 71 which extend radially from the shaft. The distance between each abutment 71 corresponds roughly to the longitudinal length of each abutment. The opposite side of shaft 61 is provided with staggered abutments 72, 72 which register with the gaps between abutments 71.

The abutments or steps 71 and 72 in addition to performing the function of separating the sets of pile yarns Y1 and Y2 to form the secondary shed/also provide a guide against which the pile wires 29 may run during their insertion. For this purpose each of the elements 71 and 72 has an L shaped nose 71a and 72a extending substantially at right angles to the main body of the step. As will be seen clearly in Figures 15 andV 19, the steps 71a and 72a engage pileyarns Ylwhen the shaft 61 is in its lowermost position and displace these yarns in an amount sucient to permit the insertion of the wire 29. The innerface of the steps also serves as a guide or limit for preventing the engagementV of the wire 29 with any of the displaced yarns Y1I duringl its insertion. Ordinarily the wire will be inserted in the position shown in Fig. 19 but in practice some contact with the steps 71a or 72a takes place.

The control and vactuation of the pattern bar4 orsecondary shed forming element 60 occursin two distinct ways. First, the entire assembly' is-oscillated in anV inclined plane controlled by ways 64, 65 and slots 66, 67. This oscillation carries the shed forming member 60 from a shed forming position, as shown in Fig. l5, to' a retracted position shown in -full lines in lFigs. 3 and 5. Since it is important that the same pile yarns yare not always carried under each pile wire 29, it-is necessary to ro tate the pattern bar 60 through 'an arc of approximately 180 to present the staggered steps 72, 72a. This rotation of the element 60 takes place when it is in the fully retracted position of Figs. 3 and 5 lso that shoulders 62 and 63 are disengaged with ways 64 and 65. In this retracted position pinion 70 meshes with the teethofan oscillating gear section 73, journaled at 74 ina bracket 75, secured to the loom frame 25 by bolts 76, 76. The mechanism for actuating pattern bar 60 both rotationally and lineally comprises aA pair of links 77 and,78, one end of each link being iournaled on the shaft 61 as shown in Fig. 1 and the other end of 'each link being pivotally connected to levers 79 and 80 by means of pins 81 and 32 respectively. Levers 79 and 80 are keyed or pinned to a cross shaft 83 which is in turn journaled in pillow blocks 84 and 85 mounted to the frame 25 and axial movement of shaft 83 is restrained by means of'collars 86 and 87 secured to shaft 83 by means of suitable setscrews. One end of shaft 83 is provided with a lever 90 also pinned or secured to the shaft and biased by an extension spring 91 anchored to the loom frame. Oscillation of shaft 83 is effected from the loom shaft 92 through a cam 93 secured to the shaft and actuating cam follower 94, link 95, rocker arm 96, pivoted to the frame 25 at 97, and connecting rod 98 which is in turn journaled to lever 90 by means of a clevis pin 99.

The gear segment 73 is likewise controlled from shaft 92 through the agency of a cam 105 keyed to the shaft, cam follower 106, rocker arm 107 journaled to frame 25 at 108, and a connecting rod 109 which is journaled to the gear 73 at y110. An extension spring 111 anchored in frame 25 likewise biases the gear 73 through a clamp 112 on rod 109. It will thus be understood that the combined motions of cams 93 and 105 serve to slide the shed forming element 60 into a shed forming position in which it is non-rotatably held by reason of the engagement of shoulders 62 and 63 with ways 64 and 65. Retraction of the shed forming element 60 permits 180 rotation of the element by gear sector 73 when the shoulders 62 and 63 are disengaged with the ways 64 and 65, this action Ialternately presents the steps 71 and 72 to the pile yarns Y to form successive series of secondary sheds but with yarns Y1 and Y2 alternately and successively displaced. The operation of the steps and the shed forming features of pattern bar 60 are clearly apparent from inspection of Figure 8 in which it is seen that all pile yarns Y1 forming one part of the secondary shed are displaced by the steps 71, whereas the remaining yarns Y2 remain in an undisplaced position until the pattern bar 60 is turned 180, thereby aligning the steps 72 with the previously undisplaced yarns Y2. It is also noted that' each step '71a is provided with radially extending ears 113, 113 which accurately separate the yarns and prevent their passing over the face of the steps during movement of the element 60.

Needle and wire motions `and drives a crank 118 through shaft 119.A Connecting rods 120 and 121 `are each journaled at one end in the crank 118 and at the other end in cranks 122 and 123 respectively. Cranks 122 and 123 may be considered as one lever of a bell crank assembly each of which is journaledI at 124 and 125 respectively. Crank 123 also connects with the main :arm 126 for the wire motion and crank 122 connects with the main arm 127 for the needle motion. The upepr ends of arm 126 are connected to the wire motion head 128 by means of a link 129 and arm 127 is connected to the needle motion head 130 by means of link 131. The heads 128 and 130 oscillate on ways 132 Iand 133 respectively to reciprocate the needle 114 which is clamped in the head 130 in and out of the main warp yarn shed.

As is customary with needle motion looms, an oscillating shuttle assembly 135 is positioned at the opposite side of the loom to tie in the double wefts in the conventional manner. The wire motion head 128 carries a spring loaded pivoted wire catch 136 biased by means of spring 137 and operable to engage a, recess in the head 138 of each of the pile wires. The left wire as seen in Figure 11 is withdrawn from the set and then inserted on the other side of the set through wire guide 140 and the head of the wire being inserted is cammed into proper position by means of beveled ways 141 on the side of the guide assembly. The upper part 142 of the wire guide assembly is adjustable'on the -base member 143 when lock screw 144 is loosened.

,fg-A, wire mask 145 lis-pivoted tovbracket 146 at 147 and biased by means of extension spring 148. This guard is utilized to prevent withdrawal of a wire von every insertion of the needle since there are two double wefts for every wire in a two-shot fabricas Vexplained above. One of the clutch arms 48 is provided with a contact roller 150 which pivots the wire mask 145 wheneverthe tube frame 3 5 moves to` wipeY in Ythe pile yarn as shown infFig. 17. r

The mask 145 has a bent extension 151 which covers the slot in the wire head as shown in Fig. 13 unless it is pivoted to the position shown in Fig. ll. In the event the wire mask is in the unpivoted position the wire catch 136 merely slides up over the bent end 151 which prevents engagement of the catch with the wire head. Tube frame 35 wipes into the shed on every other needle insertion so that the motion of the tube frame and clutch arm 48` is utilized to control the wire motion when weaving a twoshot fabric.

Weaving cycle alternate `tyarpwise in the fabric' as' clearly shown* in' Figs. 22 and 24. Figure 23 illustrates a warpwise section of the fabric illustrating how each pile yarn alternates over and under successive pile wires. It will be understood, of course, that the pile yarns maybe drawn in two ends per` dent as shown andthe pattern element 60 may include Referring now to Figs. 14-21, the weaving cycle and pile wire 29a is simultaneously inserted in the secondary shed f ormed between pile warps Y1 and Y2 which have been separated by the movement of the pattern element 60 to the position shown in Fig. l5. Referring particularly of Fig. 19, it will be noticed how all of the warps Y2 which are not engaged by the steps 710i element60 pass upwardly to the right of Wire 29a. The remaining warps Y1 which contact steps 71 or properly speaking the angled faces 71a of the steps are displaced so that all of these warps Y1 are carried under the Wire 29a. The pattern element 60 `again retracts as the needle is withdrawn, reed 27'beats up, and the tube frame elevates, thus beating up warps Y1. and Y2 on either side of Wire 29a as shown in Fig. 20. Prior to this point the harnesses carrying binder warps 53 and 54 again reverse. The last step in the` cycle is shown in Figs. 17 and 2l in which the pattern element 60 Vis rotated 180, tube frame 35 lowers to wipe the tuft tubes 46 into the shed formed by chain'warpsiiV and v54. Reed 27 is retracted and the next double weft shot 3 0c is inserted with needle 114.-

In this' case, however, no wire was inserted with needle 114 because the mask 145 was not pivoted on the previous withdrawal of the needle after insertion of the wire 29a. With the lowering of tube frame 35, however, mask 145 is pivoted to permit the last wire to be Withdrawn ready for the next insertion. It will be noted in Fig. 21

that both pile yarns Y1 and Y2 are now carried down to be tied under the weft 30e, yarns Y1 coming directly from underneathtwire V29a but yarns Y2 passing over this wire thus forming the desired weave. The cycle then repeats as previously described in connection with Figs. 14 and 18.

The fabric Referring now to Figs. 22-24, a typical fabric of the Axminster type produced in accordance with the present invention is shown schematically in Figs. 22-24. In this fabric the double wefts 3u areinterwoven with the oppositely Working binder warps 53 and 54 across tbe fabric. There will, however, be groups of high pile loops 152 which have been vcarried over the wires and weftwise aligned ground pile areas or low `loops 153, 153 which have been carried'under lthe same wire as already described. These high and low pile projections y152 and 153- variations to provide differences in the weftwise length qrinumberof loops selected for over and under the pile wires. .Also, it is withinV the ,scope ofthe invention to employ modified shapes and forms of the pattern element 'v`vhicl'1 facilitate carrying selected pile yarns under two or moresuccessive pile rwiresV or overtwolor more` successive pile wires. Such an effect may be achieved by lateral shifting of the pattern element or utilizing less than a 180 turn.

The present invention is relatively simple and inexpensive to install on a loop pile Axminster loom of the general type shown in the Eisler and Moxley patent above. It enables the designer to utilize dilferent types or colors of yarn effectively and increases the range of pattern'effect which was not practical with the single wire loop pile loom in which all of the pile yarns were carried over the wire on each insertion. 'I'he use of a set of wires rather Ithan a single wire provide ample locking for the pile yarns so that they are not undesirably displaced or pulled back when the pattern element is displaced to form the secondary shed.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. In a loop pile Axminster type loom having a needle motion for inserting double wefts, an oscillating tube frame for wiping in pile yarns to a main warp shed,

pattern means movable from a retracted to an advanced position for displacing selected warp yarns to form an auxiliary shed, a wire motion for inserting a pile Wire into said auxiliary shed thereby weaving displaced pile yarns under the said pile wire and non-displaced pile yarns over the said pile wire, and means for beating up the double wefts and the pile wires into the fell of the fabric.

2. A loom in accordance with claim l having a plural.- ity of pile wires in a set.

3. A loom in accordance with claim 2 having cyclically operated means for preventing withdrawal of a wire of the set after every needle insertion.

4. A loom in accordance with claim l in which the pattern means comprises a shaft and a series of diametrically positioned steps secured to said shaft.

5. The method of weaving a loop pile Axminster type fabric Which comprises the steps of beating up a double weft against the fell of a fabric, forming a chain `warp shed, displacing selected pile y-arns above said fell to form a secondary warp shed, inserting a pile wire into said secondary Warp shed, simultaneously inserting a weft into the chain warp shed, beating up the wire with selected pile `yarns on each side of the wire, reversing the chain warps carrying both of said pile yarns down into the reversed chain warp shed, inserting a second filling weft into said reversed chain Warp shed, and beating up said second filling weft over both of the pile yarns.

6. In an Axminster type loom having a needle motion for inserting double wefts, an oscillating tube frame for wiping in pile yarns to a chain Warp shed, a reed for beating up said double Wefts into the fell of a fabric, a shaft' mounted on the loom positioned above said fell, a series of steps secured to said shaft, means for oscillating the shaftto a warp shed forming position adjacent the fell thereby forming an auxiliary Warp pile shed, and a Wire Y motion for inserting a pile Wire into said warp pile shed thereby weaving certain displaced pile yarns under said pile wire and other pile yarns over the said pile wire.

7. In an Axminster type loom having a needle motion for inserting double Wefts, an oscillating tube frame for wiping in pile yarns to a chain warp shed, a reed for beating up said double wefts into the fell of a fabric, a shaft mounted on the loom positioned above said fell, a series of steps secured to said shaft, means for oscillating levers and a slotted guide in each side of the which the shaft extends.

l1. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the slotted guide is provided with means for preventing rotation of the shaft when in its yarn displacing position.

loom froml References Cited n the tile of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Eisler et al. Aug. 23, 1955 Ianney et al ..a Nov. 11, 1958 

